Demountable-rim wrench.



Fa K. LAWRENCE.

DEMOUNTABLE RIM WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 12, 1911.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

'UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

FREDERICK x. LAWRENCE, 0E arriendo,` ILLiNoIs.

DEMouNTABEE-nnu WRENCH.

To all whom t may concern: 1

Be it known that I, `FREDERICK K. LAW- RENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing` atChicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in `Demountable- Rim Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.`

My invention relates to wrenches, particularly to socket wrenches and is especially usefulin connection with wrenches for removing and replacing demountable rims of motor vehicles. Vrenches heretofore devised have exhibited faults which need not be enumerated but which leave much to be desired in the way of aifording convenience to the operator, enabling him to exert his strength to the best advantage and enabling him to work with added speed after the nut or bolt has been loosened but is not loose enough to be manipulated by the fingers. The general object of Vmy invention is to produce a Wrench which will supply these deficiencies. In carrying out my object I provide a wrench having a plurality of handles adapted to be grasped by the user, one

of these handles being on the axis of the de# vice and two others at equal distances from the axis, and the last mentioned handles preferably ranging parallel to the axis.

I obtain my object by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the wrench shown in connection with a portion of a vehicle wheel having a demountable rim.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the wrench looking at it from the socket end.

Similar numerals refer to similar the two views.

In the particular embodiment of the invention selected for explanatory purposes, the wrench has a socket 1 adapted to engage the nut which is to be manipulated. Connected with the head or socket l are three branches 2, 3, 4. The branch 2 is coincident with the axis of the device while the branches 3 and 4 lie on either side of it at an equal distance therefrom. The inparts in `ner ends of ythe branches (the ends which lie nearest to the operator when the device is in use) are designed to be grasped by the operator. They may be plain,` if desired,

although in the present drawings, I have in- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. is, 191e.

Application filed November 12, 191i?.` `Serial1\o.`20`1,4=1"7.

dicated enlarged handles `5 at the inner :end

of the branches 3 and Il and a handle 6 at the inner end of the branch 2.` In the form shovvmhandle 6 is in the form of a `ball or knob which is rotatable upon branch 2 but is suitably `heldagainst sliding longitudinallyon it.` In the best form, the handles 5 extend parallel with the axis of the device and `all three` handles are at substantially the same distance back of the `head,-that isto say, all three handles come approximately in a plane perpendicular to the axis of theadevice and, by preference, this plane is approximately as far back of the head as the distance between the two outer handles 5, o. It is also true that, practically speaking, all three handles lie in a common plane passing through the axis of the device.

In use, when it is desired to loosen the nut (by which term I include either a nut proper or the nut-like head of a bolt) the operator applies the socket to the nut in the usual manner and then grasps the two outer handles 5. It is usual to screw the nuts or bolts of demountable rims quite tight to insure holding under the heavy strains of road use, but with my device, Athe operator is able to apply his strength to best advantage, for his han s will be equidistant from the axis of the device and hence will exert equal torque and hence tend to hold the axis of the wrench coincident with the axis of the nut or bolt. This stability of position is enhanced by the fact that the handles are parallel to the axis of the Wrench and hence give the operator an added sense of the position in which the wrench must be held to be most effective. After the operator has started the nut and given it a few turns so as to loosen it, he

takes one hand (usually his left hand) off of the handle 5 and places it upon the center handle 6. This enables him to work faster, for he can keep his left hand upon the central handle and use his right hand to actuate the handles 5, one after the other. He thus can speed up the operation without any inconvenience or added exertion. In fact, the amount of exertion is lessened, for one hand remains practically still. It will be noted that in this, the preferred design, not only are the handles at a substantial distance away from the plane of the wheel, thus affording freedom of action, but they are also equidistant from the plane of the wheel.

This greatly assists in keeping the position o the YWrenchtrue While 1t is being man1pulated*a characteristic which is notably Vabsent from those Wrenches inade, in the form of a bit. My Wrench also distinguishes from a bit Vsocket Wrench in that both of the principal handles are at the same distance from the axis of the Wrench.

VAs a result'of my invention, I have produced a Wrench Whichis of simple form and which enables the operator to exert his strength with maximum eiiieieney and ease and,V enables him to easily maintain the Wrench accurately placed With its axis coincident With the axis ofthe nut or bolt.

It will be understood that it is unnecessary that the handles .be specially configurated andit is possible thatother modificacopies: of this patent may be obtained for tions zmay be made Without departing' VJfrom the spirit ofthe invention as deiined in the appended Claims. f l ,y

Having thus describedmy invention, What lincident With the axis of the wrench and the others equally distant from the axis and arranged parallel to the axis.

Y .1 2. Awrench` having a head for engaging the' nut and a plurality of branches for rotating it, the inner end of said branches forming handles and one of them being coincident With the axis of the Wrench and the others equally distant from the axis and arranged parallel to the axis, all of said handlesy being approximately at the same distance back of the head.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FREDERICK K. LAWRENCE.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti, v Washington, D. C. 

